User`s guide

VMware, Inc. 15
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Stage Managerorganizessystemsintheenterprisesoftwarelifecycleintoservices.
TheseservicesrepresentthedeliverablesofITseparatedintostagesthatspan
developmentandtestingthroughproduction.Stage ManagerincreasesITservice
availability,acceleratesresponsetoconfigurationchanges,promotescompliancewith
regulatoryorworkflowprocesses,andpromotesefficientuseofstorage.
This
chapterincludesthesetopics:
 “VisualizingtheEnterpriseServiceLifecycle”onpage 15
 “UnderstandingStage ManagerintheVMware InfrastructureEnvironment”on
page 17
Visualizing the Enterprise Service Lifecycle
ITorganizationsuseStageManagertovisualizethecapabilitiesorservicesthey
providetothebusiness.AmodernITservice,deliveredbyanenterpriseapplication,
consistsofagroupofmachineswhichcooperatetodeliverafunction.InStage
Manager,eachserviceisorganizedintostagesthatcontainthevirtualmachines

(groupedintomultiplevirtualmachineunitscalledconfigurations)providingthat
service.ITbreaksservicesintostagesforseveralreasons:
 Asoftwarerevisionmighttakeanextendedperiodoftime,evenmonths,fora
singlechange.
 Anoperatingsystempatchisrequiredthatrisksbreakingaliveenterpriseservice.
Youmusttestthispatchbeforeapplyingittoproduction.
Stage Manager
Infrastructure and the
Service Lifecycle
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